Envelope-closing machine



.zo'sms MACHINE F. CLARKE ENVELOPE 0 Filed July 12,

March 18 1924.

Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

FRANK oLARkE, or .WACO, Texas.

ENVELOPE-CLOSING MACHINE.

Application fil ed J'uly 12, 1922. Serial No. 574,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANK CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at aco, in the county of McLennjan andState of Texas, have invented new, and useful Im provements in Envelope-Closing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for closing envelopes, the present invention being an improvement over that disclosed in the application filed by me on April 30, 1921, Serial No. 165,677.

The general object of the present invention is to provide means for holding the envelopes upon the belt.

Another object of the invention is to so form the means that envelopes can be easily placed on the belt as the same pass over the supporting roller and said envelopes will be automatically discharged or thrown off the belt as the same pass over the rear supporting roller. 7

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. 30 In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 .is a plan view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section 'on line 33 of Figure 1.

In these views 1 indicates the conveyor frame and 2 the conveyor belt which is rotated by the end rollers 3 and 4t and being supported between the rollers by the intermediate rollers 5 which are disposed one in advance of the other and adjacent the opposite edges of said belt as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Slotted trans verse strips 6 are secured to the belt for forming pockets to receive the envelopes. A spring holder 8 is also provided on the belt in front of each pocket for holding an envelope in each pocket. This spring is received in the slots of the strips and has its rear end secured to the'belt in any desired manner and its forward end is free and is 5 formed to press the envelope upon the belt within the pockets. 7

The folding means 9 and the holding means 10 are substantially similar to those shown in the before mentioned application though the means for giving the flap its initial movement is composed of a continuation 11 of the horizontal flange of the angle strip from which the folding means 9 is formed and the flap raising means 12 is formed by simply cutting the vertical flange and bending it across the horizontal flange, as shown. The holding member 10 is of less length than that shown in the before mentioned application and the reduced rear end of this member, shown in the said application, isv eliminated. In other respects both the folding and holding members are the same as shown in the before mentioned application. 1

As the belt travels over the forward roller the free end of the spring will move away from the belt so that an envelope can be easily placed upon the belt and then when the belt straightens out upon its upper reach E0 the parts will return to normal position and the envelope will be gripped by the spring. The envelope is then carried under the folding means and the flap folded as described in the before mentioned application. As the parts pass over therearward roller the spring again leaves the belt so as to release the envelope and permit the same to fall from the belt. Thus the envelopes are automatically discharged from the conveying means after the flaps are folded and pasted.

I also provide heating means for drying the adhesive material after the flap has been pressed down upon the envelope. Such means are shown at 13, and simply consist of an electric heater suitably fastened to the frame and arranged to engage the flaps of the envelopes as they are carried along by the belt. Current is supplied to this heater from any suitable source by the conductors 14.

It is thought from the foregoing descrip tion that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I'may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope 01 the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In an envelope closing device, a conveyor, pockets formed thereon for receiving the envelopes, a spring strip secured to the conveyor in rear of each pocket and having its forward end provided With a part to enter the pocket so as to press upon the envelope therein, said spring strip moving outwardly away from the conveyor When the same pass over the supporting rollers to facilitate the placing of the envelope in the pocket at the forward roller and for automatically discharging the envelope at the rear roller.

2. An envelope closing device of the character described comprising an endless belt,

transverse strips arranged in pairs on said belt and providing pockets for the envelopes, and resilient means secured to said belt in the rear of each pocket for the purpose specified.

3. An envelope closing device of the character described comprising an endless belt, transverse strips arranged in pairs on said belt and being provided With aligned slots, said strips being adapted to form pockets therebetweeu for receiving envelopes therein and a resilient arin secured to said belt in the rear of each pocket and having its free portion received in the slots of the transverse strips for exerting pressure upon the en velopes therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FRANK CLARKE. 

